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Last night John McCain accepted the Republican nomination for President
and delivered an inspiring and effective speech to conclude a
successful convention.
Several weeks before the convention, Republicans were in disarray and
not enthused about their chances of retaining the White House. Since
that time, McCain performed remarkably well at Pastor Rick Warren’s
forum at Saddleback Church . He picked Governor Sarah Palin as his vice
presidential nominee and he gave a very good speech last night.
Now, Republican delegates leave St. Paul Minnesota united and genuinely excited about their ticket. The base is energized and donations are soaring for the Republican ticket.
Most of the GOP convention was spent on the “red meat” speeches ripping Obama and contrasting Democrats with Republicans.
McCain tried a different approach. He was quite subdued in his attacks on Obama. Instead, he made an appeal to Independent and Democratic voters, trying to lure them to his side.
McCain also rightly criticized the Republican Party for letting down the American people and allowing government spending to soar. McCain realizes that he can win the race only by running as a renegade Republican and running away from the unpopular George W. Bush.
In his speech, McCain poignantly told the story of his captivity and how it made him less selfish and appreciate his country more. It was an inspiring tale of a hero, an incredible contrast with Barack Obama who does not have such a life story.
The rhetoric was not particularly soaring and it was not a typical Republican acceptance speech. In McCain’s speech, there was little humor and very little confrontational language, but it emphasized words such as “fight” and “change.”
To win the presidency, John McCain needs to convince the American people that he can change Washington D.C. more effectively than Barack Obama. As an experienced U.S. Senator, one who has fought for change all his life, McCain can make a very convincing argument.
The sales pitch began last night and will continue for the next two months. Right now, the race is practically tied and it is up for grabs. Whoever is the most effective at convincing the American people will win. At this point, it is a wide open race. |
